The case of Karl Anders and the Frankfurter Rundschau How a publisher is ›forgotten‹
By Alf Mayer and Horst Pöttker | This article documents the largely overlooked role of publisher and resistance fighter Karl Anders in the history of the German national newspaper Frankfurter Rundschau, drawing on extensive archival sources, court records, and contemporary documents. In the mid-1950s, Anders played a decisive role in stabilizing the financially threatened newspaper through loans, publishing expertise, and journalistic networks. Nevertheless, following his falling out with the newspaper’s publisher Karl Gerold, his contribution was systematically erased from the newspaper’s institutional memory. The essay analyzes this form of journalistic »gap in public discourse« as an example of mechanisms of repression, concealment, and myth-making in media journalism. In doing so, it discusses the professional ethical question of to what extent the omission of relevant information should be considered a violation of journalistic duties of care.
How does subjective journalism work? Perceptions and effects of an alternative form of journalism among young media users
By Janis Brinkmann | Against the backdrop of an integrative conceptual framework, this article examines the perceptual and impact potential that explicitly subjective journalism holds for young audiences. In two experiments, a total of 273 young media users aged 17 to 28 were shown both traditional and explicitly subjective reportages on the same topic. This was followed by a standardized online survey and in-depth semi-structured interviews. The findings show that subjective journalism is perceived as more narrative and emotionally engaging, but also as less informative, less reflective, less relevant, more in need of explanation, and less critical than more objective forms. In addition, young media users identify opinions and attitudes more clearly. They would like to see more subjective content and would also comment on it more often on social media, which points to the participatory potential of subjective journalism.
Climate skepticism in »alternative media«? Strategies and patterns in climate reporting in right-wing anti-public discourse
By Luis Paulitsch | On social media platforms, »alternative media« are considered key players in spreading climate skepticism. This content ranges from one-sided opinion pieces to climate-related disinformation. This article analyzes specific strategies used by German-language right-wing alternative media on the topics of climate protection and the energy transition. The analysis is based on assessments by reputable fact-checking formats (n=38). Overall, four patterns in the reporting were identified that presumably contribute to climate skepticism among the public: (1) attacks against the scientific consensus on climate change; (2) dubious sources and »experts«; (3) misleading reporting; (4) discrediting of political opponents.
Bringing the past into the present A conversation on the occasion of the publication of Schuld und Geheimnis. Bekenntnisse von Legenden der deutsch-jüdischen Publizistik [Guilt and secrecy. Confessions of legends of German-Jewish journalism]
Martina Thiele in coversation with Siegfried Weischenberg | Resistance, »internal emigration,« or flight? After the Nazis seized power, Jewish journalists mostly had no choice but to flee. How did they survive? How were they – and non-Jewish dissidents – able to oppose the dictatorship from exile through their journalism? And in contrast, how did others who stayed behind advance their careers or accommodate themselves to Nazi rule? In his new book, Schuld und Geheimnis. Bekenntnisse von Legenden der deutsch-jüdischen Publizistik [Guilt and secrecy: Confessions of legends of German-Jewish journalism], Siegfried Weischenberg, professor emeritus of journalism, focuses on well-known and lesser-known journalists. Whether Alfred Kerr or Hilde Spiel, Fritz Sänger or Elisabeth Noelle – a wide range of behaviors and accounts of their experiences are up for discussion. Author Siegfried Weischenberg and media scholar Martina Thiele (Tübingen) use the life stories and journalistic work of important 20th-century German journalists as a starting point to discuss autobiographies as sources, memory and forgetting, guilt and responsibility, as well as anti-Semitism and gender relations in journalism.
Your vibe – new standard or hype? Journalistic credibility in the digital public sphere
By Katja Schupp and Mirco Liefke | This essay analyses the shift in how journalists construct and present credibility in the context of social media. It begins with the observation that journalistic authenticity is increasingly shifting away from institutionally underpinned credibility towards personalised, emotionally driven forms, described in platform jargon as ›vibe‹. The essay situates this development within a media-historical continuum stretching from the printing press through traditional mass media to digital platforms. It demonstrates that with every media innovation, the criteria of credibility and the public sphere also change. Whilst traditional mass media rely on objectivity, standardisation and institutional legitimacy, personal presence, emotional resonance and algorithmically amplified visibility are gaining importance within the digital platform environment. The essay views this shift not as a rupture, but as an expression of the ongoing singularization of the public sphere in general and the mediated public sphere in particular. The interplay between platform logics and cultural change is giving rise to a form of journalism that relies more heavily on individuality and performative authenticity. Finally, it is argued that journalistic credibility must be renegotiated under these conditions, presenting an opportunity to intertwine institutional and personal forms.
»Online hate speech has real-world consequences« Resilience, regulation, networks, and participatory formats as strategies against hate in journalism
Leipziger Mediengespräche | »The central question is: To what extent should regulatory intervention be applied – and to what extent can we strengthen the resilience of those involved?« With these questions, Michael Haller inaugurated the first Leipzig Media Forum, hosted by the European Institute for Journalism and Communication Research (EIJK). Drawing on the experiences of journalists and researchers from Germany and the U.S., the discussion highlighted approaches focused on regulation, media literacy, resilience-building, and participatory projects linking journalism and the public. Journalistik/Journalism Research documents the discussion in an edited version based on the audio transcript. The challenges journalists face due to hate speech, hostility, and platform logic were discussed by the guests at the first Leipzig Media Forum in late April 2026 at the Media Campus Villa Ida in Leipzig-Gohlis, moderated by Gabriele Hooffacker (Leipzig University of Applied Sciences, HTWK). Prof. Stine Eckert (Wayne State University, Detroit), Prof. Michael Haller (European Institute for Journalism and Communication Research, EIJK), Dr. Judith Kretzschmar (University of Leipzig), and Michael Krell (Dresden University of Technology) spoke about the situation in Germany and the U.S. and presented concrete solutions.
Out of the newsrooms, into the schools Journalism needs stronger roots in society
By Klaus Ott | Given the economic struggles of traditional media, the growing influence of digital platforms, and, in some cases, declining public trust, journalism must become more transparent and open to dialogue. Journalists themselves need to become more visible within society – and this begins in schools. Personal interaction fosters trust. Classroom workshops, educational initiatives, and direct encounters with journalists can strengthen media literacy and deepen understanding of democratic processes.
Must read: Books by journalists
By Martina Thiele and Boris Romahn | We, Martina Thiele (MT, University of Tübingen) and Boris Romahn (bro, University of Salzburg), are pleased to once again present a diverse selection of books by journalists in this edition. These recommended works explore both contemporary and historical topics and offer a wide range of perspectives on war and peace, fact and fiction, homelands and identities.